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Battle of Taranto
The night of 11th – 12th November 1940 saw a naval mission of unprecedented determination and bravery when 21 canvas-winged Fairey Swordfish aircraft took off from HMS Illustrious to carry out one of the most pivotal aerial attacks of the Second World War: the sinking of the Italian Battle Fleet at Taranto.
Leaving the deck of HMS Illustrious in radio silence, without navigation lights to avoid detection, the Swordfish flew 170 miles through the night to drop their torpedoes and bombs on the battleships, cruisers and destroyers anchored in Taranto harbour. The attacks on the heavily defended harbour were swift, sudden and unexpected, crippling the Italian fleet and rendering the Italian Navy ineffective for the rest of the War.
https://www.navywings.org.uk/heritage/battle-honours/battle-of-taranto/